1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a football helmet motion restrictor for use by a person wearing a football helmet and football shoulder pads to restrict undesired lateral and posterior movement of the football helmet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the sport of football, football players wear protective gear generally comprised of structural members lined with padding, such as shoulder pads, and protective headgear, such as conventional football helmets. Various devices have been proposed to eliminate, or restrict, undesired lateral and posterior movement of the football helmet, with a view toward preventing injury to the football player's neck, upon the football player receiving either a blow to the head, or a blow to his body which causes his neck to move laterally, or from side-to-side, or in a posterior direction, or toward the back of the football player.
Cervical collars, and similar devices, have been previously proposed to restrict undesired lateral posterior movement of a player's football helmet, and in turn restrict undesired lateral and posterior movement of the football player's neck. It is an object of the present invention to provide better protection than that previously afforded by prior art cervical collars and similar device, against undesired lateral and posterior movement of a football player's helmet and neck.
It should be noted that as to the football helmet motion restrictor of the present invention, as well as prior art protective devices, due to the nature of the sport of football, no protective equipment can completely prevent injuries to those playing the sport of football; however, it is believed that such equipment can be designed to attempt to better protect the player from injuries. It should be further noted that no protective equipment can completely prevent injuries to a player, if the football player uses his football helmet to butt, ram, or spear an opposing player, which is in violation of the rules of football. Improper use of a helmet to butt, ram, or spear an opposing player can result in severe head or neck injuries, paralysis, or death to the football player, as well as possible injury to the football player's opponent. No football helmet, nor football helmet motion restrictor, such as that of the present invention, can prevent all head or neck injuries a football player might receive while participating in the sport of football, particularly if the football player improperly uses his helmet.